Loader&#39;s safety switch



Feb. 18, 1969 D. L. WAGNER LOADER'S SAFETY SWITCH Filed NOV. 13. 1967W2; 4% y W if 0. k z r Wa p w United States Patent 3,427,922 LOADERSSAFETY SWITCH Donald L. Wagner, Detroit, Mich., assignor, by mesneassignments, to the United States of America as represented by theSecretary of the Army Filed Nov. 13, 1967, Ser. No. 682,686

US. Cl. 89--28 4 Claims Int. Cl. F41f 13/08 ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Anew electro-mechanical loaders safety switch whereby a manually operatedlever is rotated and latched in a position wherein the lever causes anelectric switch to be closed to complete part of a gun firing electriccircuit. The latching means releases the lever either automatically uponrecoil of the breech or by manual operation. A pin on the lever moves inan arcuate path to intercept a trip link carried by a slide link whichcooperates with the reciprocating motion of the breech.

This invention relates to guns and more particularly to guns carried invehicles utilizing a man for loading and another man for firing, whereinthe loader is provided with an electric switch to disarm the gun. Thenovel loaders safety switch is particularly adapted to self leveling 105mm. guns, or the like, carried by tanks wherein the tank and loaderoften are moved violently relative to the gun when traveling over roughground.

Heretofore the electric circuit that is closed by the gunner to fire thegun included, in series, a manually operated switch placed near theloader. After the gun was fired the loader would manually open theswitch, load the gun, and then manually close the switch when he hadreached a position of safety. This device was not satisfactory becausethe loader often neglected to open the switch.

This invention provides an electro-mechanical appara tus in combinationwith a gun that requires the gun loader to close an electric contact toprovide a necessary component of the gun firing electric circuit. Thedevice will open the electric contact when the gun recoils or when theloader so desires. The device provides a pivoted lever to close theelectric contacts and reciprocating trip link means to alternately holdand release the biased lever.

The principal object of the present invention is to provide a sturdydevice whereby the man loading the gun must move a lever to a fireposition before the gun can be fired, and whereby the lever returns to asafe position automatically when the gun is fired so that the gun cannotbe fired again.

Another object is to provide the loader with means to return the leverfrom fire position to safe position at any time.

The above and other objects of the invention will appear more clearlyfrom the following more detailed description and from the drawing,wherein like numerals designate like parts in both figures.

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of the left rear portion of a 105 mm. gunshowing the loaders safety switch assembly in position on the gun.

FIGURE 2 is a detail of the loaders safety switch assembly viewed fromthe breech side of FIGURE 1.

The following detailed description of the preferred embodiment will bemore clearly understood by first noting that an electric circuit, notshown, is closed to fire the gun provided that the loaders safety switchis closed. Such circuits are known per se and therefore need not beillustrated. It is sufficient here to state that the gun is firedelectrically and that inserted in series with the electric circuit, bymeans of leads 1, is a switch 2 shown in FIG- URE 2. Switch 2 is closedwhen the button 3 is depressed thereby completing the electric circuitfrom a power source, not shown, to the firing switch, not shown. Whenboth the firing relay switch, not shown, and switch 2 are closedelectric power is delivered to detonate the load. FIGURE 1 shows lever 4in the safe position wherein switch 2 is open and the gun cannot befired. FIGURE 2 shows lever 4 in the fire position wherein switch 2 isclosed and the gun may be fired.

FIG. 1 shows cradle 6 that slidably supports barrel 7 and breech 8 whichis provided with breech block 9. The loaders safety switch assemblyindicated generally at 10, is secured to gun cradle 6 by three bolts 11.Breech 8 recoils to the right relative to cradle 6. Boss 12 is fixed tobreech 8 and reciprocates with the breech relative to cradle 6.

Slide link 5 is provided with an arm 13 extending in front of boss 12 sothat boss 12 may push the arm 13 toward the front or restrain the arm 13from moving toward the rear as will be explained below. As best viewedin FIG- URE 2, base plate 14 of assembly 10 supports lever 4, slide link5, and switch 2. Lever 4 is provided with a handle 15, a pin 16 securedto the lever, and adjustable bolt 17 secured to the lever. Slide link 5is provided with elongated slots 18 and 19, a pivot pin 20 fixed to theslide link, and arm 13 extending toward the breech. Trip link 21 isprovided with a handle 22, a boss 23, a hole to accept pivot pin 20, afront edge 24 and a rear edge 25 that extend down into the path of pin16. Trip link 21 is pivotally secured to slide link 5 by pivot pin 20and rests on the top of slide link 5 by means of trip link boss 23. Triplink 21 is urged clockwise in FIGURE 2 by gravity but may be assisted byspring means, not shown, acting between the slide link 5 and the triplink 21. Plate 14 is provided with fixed pins 26 and 27. Slide link 5 isslidably secured to plate 14 by pins 26 and 27 in slots 18 and 19 of theslide link. Lever 4 is rotatably secured to plate 14 by a standoff pivot28 and pin 16. The inner end of pin 16 is fixed to the lever and theouter end is laterally restrained in arcuate slot 29 providing anexposed shank of pin 16 for engagement with trip link edges 24 and 25.Lever 4 is urged counter clockwise in FIGURE 2 by tension spring 30attached between the lever and plate 14. Adjustable bolt 17 is securedon lever 4 to depress button 3 when lever 4 is in the fire position.

The operation of the device will be described by starting with the leverin the safe position which is shown in outline in FIGURE 2.

When the loader is prepared for the gun to be fired by the gunner hemoves the lever 4 to the fire position. Boss 12 (FIGURE 1) always holdsslide link 5 in the forward position except during a recoil. Pin 16strikes edge 25 and rotates the trip link so that pin 16 slides underedge 25 and is trapped by edge 24 falling behind it. Lever 4 now holds"bolt 17 in a position whereby bolt 17 depresses but ton 3 and switch 2is thereby closed to add its required component to the firing circuit,not shown, by means of lead wires 1. If the loader desires to move thelever back to the safe position, he lifts handle 22 allowing pin 16 toescape along arcuate slot 29.

When lever 4 is in the fire position and the gun is fired, boss 12recoils to the rear. Spring 30 acting through lever 4 and pin 16 urgesedge 24 to the rear. The trip link 21 therefore, by the interactionbetween the pivot 20 and the boss 23 causes slide link 5 to follow boss1.2 to the rear. Pin 16 moving down on the arcuate path escapes underedge 24 before slide link 5 is pushed forward by boss 12 on the forwardstroke of the recoil.

While I have shown a new and improved loaders safety switch incombination with a gun I do not desire to be restricted to the exactstructure described as many 3 modifications would be apparent to thoseskilled in the art.

I claim:

1. An electro-mechanical switch comprising, a base plate, a leverpivotally secured to said base plate, an electric switch actuated bysaid lever, a slide link slidably engaging said base plate, and a triplink supported by said slide link to hold said lever in switchingactuating position.

2. Apparatus in combination with an electrically fired gun having afixed member and a recoiling member com prising switch means to open andclose part of the firing circuit,

a lever means to actuate said switch means, 7

biasing means to continuously urge the lever to not actuate said switchmeans, I latching means cooperating with said recoiling member to holdsaid lever means in a switch means actuating position,

support means for said switch means, lever means, and

latching means secured to said fixed member.

3. Apparatus as set forth in claim 2. wherein said lever means pivotsabout one end and carries latch engaging means in an arcuate path.

4. Apparatus is set forth in claim 2 wherein said latching meanscomprises a sliding member provided with an arm for engagement with saidrecoiling member, whereby said sliding member reciprocates on-saidsupport vby cooperation of said lever means, said biasing means and saidrecoiling member.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2/1920 Pacilli. 5/1949 Newell89-137,X

US Cl. X.R.

